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Learn the fundamental Italian interrogative words such as Che, Quale/Quali, Chi, Quando, Dove, Come, Perché, and Quanto/a to form common questions. This lesson covers their uses, agreement in gender and number, and provides practical examples to help adult learners ask clear and natural questions in everyday situations.
  1. Some interrogative words agree with the gender and/or number of the noun.
Interrogativo (Interrogative)Esempio (Example)
Che?Che ingrediente vuoi? (Which ingredient do you want?)
Quale? /Quali?

Quale tè preferisci? (Which tea do you prefer?)

Quali spezie usi? (Which spices do you use?)

Chi?Chi cucina oggi? (Who is cooking today?)
Che cosa?Che cosa mangi a cena? (What do you eat for dinner?)
Quando?Quando ti svegli per fare colazione? (When do you wake up to have breakfast?)
Dove?Dove vai dopo cena? (Where are you going after dinner?)
Come?Come si fa la pizza? (How do you make pizza?)
Perché?Perché cucini con il burro? (Why do you cook with butter?)
Come mai?Come mai sei in ritardo? (How come are you late?)
Quanto/a? / Quanti/e?

Quanta farina serve per la ricetta? (How much flour do you need for the recipe?)

Per quante persone cuciniamo? (For how many people are we cooking?)

Exercise 1: Gli interrogativi

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

Come mai, Chi, Quando, Che cosa, Quale, Quanto, Dove

1.
... fai oggi pomeriggio?
(What are you doing this afternoon?)
2.
... vai a pranzo oggi?
(Where are you going for lunch today?)
3.
... inizia la lezione di italiano?
(When does the Italian lesson start?)
4.
... ha cucinato questa torta?
(Who cooked this cake?)
5.
... sei in ritardo?
(Why are you late?)
6.
... non hai ancora ripetuto la risposta?
(Why haven't you repeated the answer yet?)
7.
... zucchero devo mettere nel dolce?
(How much sugar should I put in the cake?)
8.
... risposta è corretta tra queste due?
(Which answer is correct between these two?)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. _______ giorno preferisci per la riunione?

(_______ day do you prefer for the meeting?)

2. _______ inizi a lavorare domani?

(_______ do you start working tomorrow?)

3. _______ partecipa alla riunione internazionale?

(_______ participates in the international meeting?)

4. _______ ricevi i documenti di lavoro?

(_______ do you receive the work documents?)

5. _______ persone lavorano a questo progetto?

(_______ people work on this project?)

6. _______ usi questo programma per organizzare il lavoro?

(_______ do you use this program to organize the work?)

Introduction to Italian Interrogatives

This lesson focuses on the basic interrogative words in Italian, essential for forming questions and engaging in everyday conversations. You'll learn the most common query words such as Che?, Quale?/Quali?, Chi?, Quando?, and others used to ask about things, people, time, places, reasons, and quantities.

The Core Interrogatives

Each interrogative word has a specific use depending on what you want to ask. For instance:

  • Che? / Che cosa? – asks about "What?" as in Che ingrediente vuoi? (What ingredient do you want?)
  • Quale? / Quali? – means "Which?" and agrees in number with the noun, e.g., Quale tè preferisci? (Which tea do you prefer?) and Quali spezie usi? (Which spices do you use?)
  • Chi? – used to ask "Who?" like in Chi cucina oggi? (Who cooks today?)
  • Quando? – asks "When?" as in Quando ti svegli per fare colazione? (When do you wake up for breakfast?)
  • Dove? – asks "Where?" e.g. Dove vai dopo cena? (Where do you go after dinner?)
  • Come? – means "How?" such as Come si fa la pizza? (How do you make pizza?)
  • Perché? – asks "Why?" Example: Perché cucini con il burro? (Why do you cook with butter?)
  • Quanto/a? / Quanti/e? – questions quantity or amount: Quanta farina serve per la ricetta? (How much flour is needed for the recipe?)

Important Grammar Notes

Notice that some interrogatives, like quale and quanto, must agree in gender and number with the noun they refer to, which is different from English where "which" or "how much/many" doesn't change form. This agreement enhances clarity and precision in Italian questions.

Practical Phrases and Differences

Unlike English, Italian often has two forms for asking "what": Che and Che cosa, both correct but Che cosa can sound more formal or emphatic. Also, phrases like Come mai? translate literally as "How come?" and are frequently used to ask "Why?" in a casual context.

Understanding and using these interrogatives correctly will significantly improve your ability to ask questions and interact confidently in Italian.

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This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

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Fabio Pirioni

Bachelor in Humanities

University of Udine

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Last Updated:

Tuesday, 15/07/2025 05:12